Method of fabricating a flat panel direct methanol fuel cell

ABSTRACT

A flat panel direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) includes an integrated cathode electrode plate, a set of membrane electrode assemblies, an intermediate bonding layer, an integrated anode electrode plate, and a fuel container base. The integrated cathode/anode electrode plates are conducive to mass production, and are manufactured by using PCB compatible processes.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to the field of fuel cells. Moreparticularly, the present invention relates to a flat panel directmethanol fuel cell (DMFC) and method of making the same.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A fuel cell is an electrochemical cell in which a free energy changeresulting from a fuel oxidation reaction is converted into electricalenergy. Fuel cells utilizing methanol as fuel are typically calleddirect methanol fuel cells (DMFCs), which generate electricity bycombining aqueous methanol with air. DMFC technology has become widelyaccepted as a viable fuel cell technology that offers itself to manyapplication fields such as electronic apparatuses, vehicles, militaryequipment, the aerospace industry, and so on.

DMFCs, like ordinary batteries, provide DC electricity from twoelectrochemical reactions. These reactions occur at electrodes (orpoles) to which reactants are continuously fed. The negative electrode(anode) is maintained by supplying methanol, whereas the positiveelectrode (cathode) is maintained by the supply of air. When providingcurrent, methanol is electrochemically oxidized at the anodeelectrocatalyst to produce electrons, which travel through the externalcircuit to the cathode electrocatalyst where they are consumed togetherwith oxygen in a reduction reaction. The circuit is maintained withinthe cell by the conduction of protons in the electrolyte. One moleculeof methanol (CH₃OH) and one molecule of water (H₂O) together store sixatoms of hydrogen. When fed as a mixture into a DMFC, they react togenerate one molecule of CO₂, 6 protons (H+), and 6 electrons togenerate a flow of electric current. The protons and electrons generatedby methanol and water react with oxygen to generate water. Themethanol-water mixture provides an easy means of storing andtransporting hydrogen, much better than storing liquid or gaseoushydrogen in storage tanks. Unlike hydrogen, methanol and water areliquids at room temperature and are easily stored in thin walled plasticcontainers. Therefore, DMFCs are lighter than their nearest rivalhydrogen-air fuel cells.

In terms of the amount of electricity generated, a DMFC can currentlygenerate 300-500 milliwatts per centimeter squared. The area of the cellsize and the number of cells stacked together will provide the necessarypower generation for whatever the watt and kilowatt needs are forvehicular and stationary applications.

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 illustrates a conventional DMFC 10, wherein FIG. 1 isa plan view of the conventional DMFC 10 and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectionalview of the conventional DMFC 10 along line I-I of FIG. 1. As shown inFIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the conventional DMFC 10 comprises a bipolar plateletassembly 12 and a fuel container 14. The bipolar platelet assembly 12comprises an upper frame 51, lower frame 52, cathode wire lath 121, aplurality of bended bipolar wire laths 122, 123, 124, 125, an anode wirelath 126, and membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) 131, 132, 133, 134,135 interposed between corresponding wire laths.

The upper frame 51, the lower frame 52, the cathode wire lath 121, theplural bended bipolar wire laths 122, 123, 124, 125, the anode wire lath126, and the MEAs 131, 132, 133, 134, 135 are adhesively stackedtogether to produce the stack structure as shown in FIG. 2. Typically,epoxy resin 53 or the like is used in between adjacent MEAs, therebyforming five basic cell units 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25. As known in theart, the cathode wire lath 121, bended bipolar wire laths 122, 123, 124,125, and the anode wire lath 126 are titanium meshes treated by goldplating, and are therefore costly.

The basic cell unit 21 of the prior art DMFC 10 consists of the cathodewire lath 121, MEA 131, and the bended bipolar wire lath 122. The basiccell unit 22 consists of the bended bipolar wire lath 122, whichfunctions as a cathode of the cell unit 22, MEA 132, and the bendedbipolar wire lath 123, which functions as an anode of the cell unit 22.The basic cell unit 23 consists of the bended bipolar wire lath 123,which functions as a cathode of the cell unit 23, MEA 133, and thebended bipolar wire lath 124, which functions as an anode of the cellunit 23. The basic cell unit 24 consists of the bended bipolar wire lath124, which functions as a cathode of the cell unit 24, MEA 134, and thebended bipolar wire lath 125, which functions as an anode of the cellunit 24. The basic cell unit 25 consists of the bended bipolar wire lath125, which functions as a cathode of the cell unit 25, MEA 135, and thebended bipolar wire lath 126, which functions as an anode of the cellunit 25. Typically, each of the basic cell units 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25provides a voltage of 0.6V, such that DMFC 10 comprising five seriallyconnected basic cell units 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 can provide a totalvoltage of 3.0V (0.6V×5=3.0V).

However, the above-described conventional DMFC 10 has several drawbacks.First, the bipolar platelet assembly 12 is too thick and thus unwieldyto carry. Furthermore, as mentioned, the cost of producing theconventional DMFC 10 is high since the cathode wire lath 121, bendedbipolar wire laths 122, 123, 124, 125, and the anode wire lath 126 aretitanium meshes treated by gold plating. Besides, the throughput of theconventional DMFC 10 is low because the bipolar wire laths 122, 123,124, 125 are bended manually before mounting on the upper and lowerframes. In light of the above, there is a need to provide a thin,inexpensive, and highly integrated DMFC that is conducive to massproduction.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to providean improved thin flat panel type DMFC to solve the above-mentionedproblems.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method forfabricating a thin and highly integrated DMFC, thereby allowing massproduction and thus saving cost, wherein the method for fabricating thehighly integrated DMFC is compatible with standard PCB (printed circuitboard) processes.

According to the claimed invention, a flat-panel direct methanol fuelcell (DMFC) is provided. The present invention DMFC comprises anintegrated cathode electrode plate, a membrane electrode assembly (MEA)unit, an intermediate bonding layer, an integrated anode electrodeplate, and a fuel container. The integrated cathode electrode platecomprises a first substrate, a plurality of cathode electrode areas, aplurality of first conductive through holes, wherein the cathodeelectrode areas are electroplated on a front side and backside of thefirst substrate and each have a plurality of apertures therein, whereineach first conductive through hole is disposed outside the cathodeelectrode area and is electrically connected to a respective cathodeelectrode area with a conductive wire. The membrane electrode assembly(MEA) unit comprises a plurality of proton exchange membranes eachcorresponding to a relative cathode electrode area. The intermediatebonding layer comprises at least one bonding sheet, wherein theintermediate bonding layer comprises a plurality of openings forrespectively accommodating the plurality of proton exchange membranes,and a plurality of second conductive through holes each of which isaligned with a first conductive through hole. The integrated anodeelectrode plate comprises a second substrate, a plurality of anodeelectrode areas corresponding to the plurality of cathode electrodeareas, and a plurality of third conductive through holes eachcorresponding to a second conductive through hole.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a method forfabricating an integrated cathode electrode plate of a flat-panel directmethanol fuel cell is provided. The method comprises the steps of:

-   -   (1) providing a copper clad laminate (CCL) substrate comprising        a base layer, a first copper layer laminated on an upper surface        of the base layer, and a second copper layer laminated on a        lower surface of the base layer;    -   (2) drilling the CCL substrate within pre-selected electrode        areas to form a plurality of apertures through the first copper        layer, the base layer and the second copper layer;    -   (3) depositing a third electroless copper layer on the CCL        substrate and interior sidewalls of inside the apertures;    -   (4) forming a patterned resist layer on the CCL substrate to        expose the pre-selected electrode areas;    -   (5) using the patterned resist layer as a plating mask,        performing an electroplating process to electroplate a fourth        copper layer within the exposed pre-selected electrode areas and        area not covered by the patterned resist layer, and then        electroplating a Sn/Pb layer on the fourth copper layer;    -   (6) stripping the patterned resist layer;    -   (7) performing a copper etching process to etch away the third        copper layer and the first and second copper layer that are not        covered by the Sn/Pb layer;    -   (8) removing the Sn/Pb layer to expose the fourth copper layer;    -   (9) coating a solder resist on areas outside the pre-selected        electrode areas; and    -   (10) printing a conductive graphitic protection layer on the        electroplated copper layer.

These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt becomeobvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading thefollowing detailed description of the preferred embodiment that isillustrated in the various figures and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of theinvention and, together with the description, serve to explain theprinciples of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a conventional direct methanol fuel cell;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the conventional direct methanolfuel cell along line I-I of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective diagram illustrating a flat paneldirect methanol fuel cell with five serially connected basic cell unitsin accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 to FIG. 12 illustrate a method for fabricating integrated thinelectrode plate of the DMFC according to this invention;

FIG. 13 is a side view of the module of the DMFC according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 14 is an assembled view of the single module of the DMFC accordingto the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Please refer to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective diagramillustrating a flat panel DMFC 20 with five serially connected basiccell units in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the presentinvention. It is to be understood that the flat panel DMFC 20 with fiveserially connected basic cell units is merely an exemplary embodiment.Depending on the requirements of the applied apparatuses, other numbersof basic cell units such as ten or twenty may be used. As shown in FIG.3, the present invention flat panel DMFC 20 generally comprises anintegrated thin cathode electrode plate 200, membrane electrode assembly(MEA) unit 300, intermediate bonding layer 400, integrated thin anodeelectrode plate 500, and a fuel container 600.

The integrated thin cathode electrode plate 200 comprises a substrate210, cathode electrode areas 201, 202, 203, 204, and 205, and conductivethrough holes 211, 212, 213, 214, and 215. Preferably, on the surfacearea of the substrate 210 outside the cathode electrode areas 201, 202,203, 204, and 205, and the conductive through hole 211, 212, 213, 214,and 215, a layer of solder resist is coated thereon. At the corners ofthe substrate 210, mounting through holes 221, 222, 223, and 224 areprovided. It is noteworthy that the integrated thin cathode electrodeplate 200 is fabricated by using PCB compatible processes. The substrate210 may be made of ANSI-grade glass fiber reinforced polymeric materialssuch as FR-1, FR-2, FR-3, FR-4, FR-5, CEM-1 or CEM-3, but is not limitedto be.

Each of the cathode electrode areas 201, 202, 203, 204, and 205, onwhich a plurality of through holes are formed, is defined by a patternedcopper foil. The conductive through hole 212 is electrically connectedto the cathode electrode area 201 with the conductive wire 250. Theconductive through hole 213 is electrically connected to the cathodeelectrode area 202 with the conductive wire 251. The conductive throughhole 214 is electrically connected to the cathode electrode area 203with the conductive wire 252. The conductive through hole 215 iselectrically connected to the cathode electrode area 204 with theconductive wire 253. The cathode electrode area 205 is electricallyconnected to a positive (cathode) electrode node 261, which, inoperation, is further electrically connected with an external circuit.The conductive through hole 211, which acts as a negative (anode)electrode node of the DMFC 20, is electrically connected with theexternal circuit in operation.

The MEA unit 300 comprises a first proton exchange membrane 301, asecond proton exchange membrane 302, a third proton exchange membrane303, a fourth proton exchange membrane 304, and a fifth proton exchangemembrane 305, corresponding to the cathode electrode areas 201, 202,203, 204, and 205. Each of the proton exchange membranes 301, 302, 303,304, and 305 may use commercially available proton conducting polymerelectrolyte membranes, for example, Nafion™, but are not limited tosuch.

The intermediate bonding layer 400 comprises at least one bonding sheet,which may be made of Prepreg B-stage resin, which is an ordinarymaterial in PCB processes. The Prepreg B-stage resin may be completelycured at about 140 C for process time period of about 30 minutes.Corresponding to the proton exchange membranes 301, 302, 303, 304, and305, five openings 401, 402, 403, 404, and 405 are provided on theintermediate bonding layer 400 for fitly accommodating respective protonexchange membranes. At a side of the opening 401 corresponding to theconductive through hole 211 of the substrate 210, as specificallyindicated in FIG. 3, a conductive through hole 411 is provided. At aside of respective openings 402, 403, 404, and 405 corresponding to theconductive through holes 212, 213, 214, and 215, conductive throughholes 412, 413, 414, and 415 are provided. In another case, theintermediate bonding layer 400 may further have a thin supporting layerthat is made of glass fiber reinforced polymeric materials such as FR-1,FR-2, FR-3, FR-4, FR-5, CEM-1 or CEM3. At the corners, corresponding tothe mounting through holes 221, 222, 223, and 224 of the substrate 210,there are mounting through holes 421, 422, 423, and 424 provided.

The integrated thin anode electrode plate 500 comprises a substrate 510,a plurality of anode electrode areas 501, 502, 503, 504, and 505, andconductive pads 511, 512, 513, 514, and 515. It is noteworthy that theanode electrode areas 501, 502, 503, 504, 505 are defined simultaneouslywith the conductive pads 511, 512, 513, 514, 515. At the corners of thesubstrate 510, corresponding to the mounting through holes 221, 222,223, and 224 of the substrate 210, there are mounting through holes 521,522, 523, and 524 provided. The integrated thin anode electrode plate500 is fabricated by using PCB compatible processes. Likewise, thesubstrate 510 may be made of ANSI-grade glass fiber reinforced polymericmaterials such as FR-1, FR-2, FR-3, FR-4, FR-5, CEM-1, CEM-3 or thelike. Each of the anode electrode areas 501, 502, 503, 504, and 505, onwhich a plurality of through holes are formed, is defined by a patternedcopper foil. The opening ratio of each of the anode electrode areas ispreferably no less than 50%.

The fuel container 600 has fuel channel 601 and mounting through holes621, 622, 623, and 624 corresponding to the mounting through holes 221,222, 223, and 224 of the substrate 210. The fuel container 600 may bemade of polymeric materials such as epoxy resin, polyimide, or acrylic.The fuel channel 601 may be fabricated by using conventional mechanicalgrinding methods or plastic extrusion methods.

When assembling, the proton exchange membranes 301, 302, 303, 304, and305 are fitly installed within the openings 401, 402, 403, 404, and 405of the intermediate bonding layer 400. The intermediate bonding layer400, together with the installed proton exchange membranes 301, 302,303, 304, and 305, is then sandwiched by the integrated thin cathodeelectrode plate 200 and the integrated thin anode electrode plate 500.The resultant laminate stack comprising, in the order, the integratedthin cathode electrode plate 200, intermediate bonding layer 400 (andinstalled proton exchange membranes), and the integrated thin anodeelectrode plate 500 is then mounted on the fuel container 600.

The conductive through holes 211, 212, 213, 214 and 215 of theintegrated thin cathode electrode plate 200 are aligned, and in contact,with the respective conductive through holes 411, 412, 413, 414 and 415of the intermediate bonding layer 400, which are aligned with theconductive pads 511, 512, 513, 514 and 515 of the integrated thin anodeelectrode plate 500. Conventional soldering process may be used toelectrically connected and fix the aligned conductive through holes suchas conductive through holes 211, 411, and conductive pad 511, and so on.By doing this, the cathode electrode area 201 of the integrated thincathode electrode plate 200 is electrically connected to the anodeelectrode area 502 of the integrated thin anode electrode plate 500through the conductive path constituted by the conductive wire 250, thesoldered conductive through holes 212 and 412, and the conductive pad512 of the integrated thin anode electrode plate 500. The cathodeelectrode area 202 of the integrated thin cathode electrode plate 200 iselectrically connected to the anode electrode area 503 of the integratedthin anode electrode plate 500 through the conductive path constitutedby the conductive wire 251, the soldered conductive through holes 213and 413, and the conductive pad 513 of the integrated thin anodeelectrode plate 500, and so on. The conductive through hole 211 of theintegrated thin cathode electrode plate 200, which acts as the negativeelectrode of the DMFC 20, is electrically connected to the anodeelectrode area 501 of the integrated thin anode electrode plate 500through the conductive through hole 411 of the intermediate bondinglayer 400.

It is advantageous to use the present invention because the DMFC 20 hasintegrated thin cathode electrode plate 200 and integrated thin anodeelectrode plate 500, which reduce the thickness as well as theproduction cost of the DMFC 20. No bended bipolar wire lath is needed.The integrated thin cathode electrode plate 200 and integrated thinanode electrode plate 500 are fabricated by using PCB compatibleprocesses, and are thus conducive to mass production. Another benefit isthat the control circuit layout for controlling the DMFC and externalcircuit can be integrated on the substrate 210 or 510.

A method for fabricating integrated thin electrode plate of the DMFC 20is now described in detail with reference to FIG. 4 to FIG. 12.According to this invention, the method for fabricating integrated thinelectrode plate of the DMFC 20 is compatible with standard PCBprocesses.

First, as shown in FIG. 4, a copper clad laminate (CCL) substrate 30 isprovided. The CCL substrate 30 is commercially available and has athickness of few millimeters. The CCL substrate 30 comprises a baselayer 32, a copper layer 34 laminated on an upper surface of the baselayer 32, and a copper layer 36 laminated on a lower surface of the baselayer 32.

As shown in FIG. 5, a conventional drilling process is carried out todrill a plurality of through holes 42 in the CCL substrate 30 withinpre-selected electrode areas (not explicitly shown).

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 6, a thin electroless copper layer 46 isdeposited on the CCL substrate 30 and on the exposed interior sidewallsof the through holes 42. It is noted that the electroless copper layer46 is deposited in a non-selective manner.

As shown in FIG. 7, a patterned resist (dry film) 48 is formed on theCCL substrate 30 to define the electrode area 49. Taking the integratedcathode electrode plate 200 of FIG. 3 as an example, the electrode area49 defined by the patterned resist 48 is one of the cathode electrodeareas 201˜205. Not shown in FIG. 7, the patterned resist 48 also definesthe conductive wires 250˜254 and the positive electrode node 261. Thepre-selected areas 49 may be, but are not limited to, a square orrectangle area of side length 30-60 mm. However, its size and shape canbe modified depending on the requirements of the fuel cell. The apertureof the through holes 42 may be bigger than 2 mm, and the total area(opening ratio) of all through holes 42 is preferably no less than 50%.

It is noted that the conductive through holes 211˜215 of the integratedcathode electrode plate 200 (FIG. 3) are formed simultaneously with thethrough holes 42 in the same drilling process. Taking the integratedanode electrode plate 500 of FIG. 3 as an example, the electrode area 49defined by the patterned resist 48 is the anode electrode areas 501˜505,and the patterned resist 48 also defines the conductive pads 511˜515(not shown in FIG. 7).

As shown in FIG. 8, using the patterned resist 48 as a plating mask, anelectroplating process is carried out to form a copper layer 62 on theCCL substrate 30 where it is not covered by the patterned resist 48including the electrode area 49. A tin/lead (Sn/Pb) composite layer 64is then electroplated on the copper layer 62.

As shown in FIG. 9, the patterned resist 48 is stripped to expose therest of the electroless copper layer 46.

As shown in FIG. 10, a copper etching process such as conventional wetetching is then carried out to etch away the electroless copper layer 46and the copper layers 34 and 36 that are not covered by the Sn/Pb layer64. After this, another etching process is carried out to etch away theSn/Pb layer 64, thereby exposing the remaining copper layer 62.

Take the fabrication of the integrated cathode electrode plate 200 ofFIG. 3 as an example; steps in FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 are performed. Asshown in FIG. 11, to prevent short-circuiting caused during thesubsequent soldering process and potential damage to the substrate, asolder resist layer 72 is disposed. The solder resist layer 72 may bemade of materials that are commercially available and are commonly usedin conventional PCB processes. Preferably, the solder resist layer 72 ismade of photosensitive materials that can be patterned by usingconventional lithographic processes to define the protected area on theelectrode plate 200.

As shown in FIG. 12, optionally, to further protect the integratedcathode electrode plate 200 from oxidation due to long-term contact withair, a conductive protection layer 74 is further formed on theelectrode. The conductive protection layer 74 is made of graphiticcarbon ink with resistivity of about 1.4×10⁻⁵ Ωm. The conductiveprotection layer 74 is formed by carbon ink printing technology. Thecarbon ink printing technology is cheaper than electroplating gold orgold-nickel alloy, and the protection layer made of carbon ink is moreresistive to copper diffusion, so as to prevent the dissociation ofcopper ions from contaminating the MEA. As a result, the using of carbonink printing technology is an important characteristic of the presentinvention.

In addition, please refer to FIG. 13 and FIG. 14. A DMFC module 700 isillustrated. As shown in the figures, the DMFC module 700 may have, butis not limited to having, a length of 300 mm, a width of 550 mm, and aheight of 55 mm. In FIG. 13, each cell module 702 includes six basiccell units. One end of the cell module 702 is electrically connected toa corresponding plug slot 706 of a back panel 704 of an energymanagement system (EMS). Please refer to FIG. 14. FIG. 14 is anassembled view of the cell module 702 illustrating that the each of thecell modules 702 includes the cathode electrode plate 200, the MEA 300,the intermediate bonding layer 400, the anode electrode plate 500, andthe fuel container 600 made by the process above. Electrode surfaces ofthe anode electrode plate 500 may be protected by a graphitic protectionlayer, so as to prevent copper ions from dissociating and contaminatingthe MEA.

Another method of further forming a protection layer on the anodeelectrode includes coating a layer of solder mask on the side that isremote from the MEA 300 (i.e., the side contacting the fuel container600) of the anode electrode plate 500. Following that, a process ofelectroplating gold or gold-nickel alloy is performed. The carbon inkprinting technology is cheaper than electroplating of gold orgold-nickel alloy, and the protection layer made of carbon ink is moreresistive to copper diffusion, so as to prevent the dissociation ofcopper ions from contaminating the MEA. As a result, the using of carbonink printing technology is an important characteristic of the presentinvention.

To sum up, the present invention flat panel type DMFC encompasses atleast the following advantages.

(1) The cost per cell is reduced since the starting material, CCLsubstrate, is cheaper. Besides, the process of fabricating the relevantparts, such as the integrated thin cathode electrode plate 200 and theintegrated thin anode electrode plate 500 of the DMFC 20, is compatiblewith mature PCB processes.

(2) Since the process of fabricating the integrated thin cathodeelectrode plate 200 and the integrated thin anode electrode plate 500 ofthe DMFC 20 is compatible with mature PCB processes, the production costis reduced.

(3) No bended bipolar wire lath is needed. The manufacture of theintegrated thin cathode electrode plate 200 and integrated thin anodeelectrode plate 500 can therefore achieve the scale of mass production.Direct stack assembly is more precise.

(4) Regarding the control circuit layout for controlling a lithiumbattery of a portable apparatus, the DMFC and the external circuit canbe simultaneously fabricated on the laminate substrate, thus reducingthe size of the DMFC and increasing the integrity of the DMFC.

(5) Forming the electrode protection layer 74 by applying carbon inkprinting technology in the process of fuel cell fabrication decreasesthe fabrication cost and protects the MEA.

(6) Furthermore, solder mask print technology may be applied in theprocess of fuel cell fabrication to decrease the fabrication cost and toprotect the MEA.

Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerousmodifications and alterations of the device and method may be made whileretaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the abovedisclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and boundsof the appended claims.

1. A flat-panel direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC), comprising: anintegrated cathode electrode plate comprising a first substrate, aplurality of cathode electrode areas, a plurality of first conductivethrough holes, wherein each cathode electrode area is electroplated on afront side and back side of the first substrate and has a plurality ofapertures therein, wherein each first conductive through hole isdisposed outside a cathode electrode area and is electrically connectedto the cathode electrode area with a conductive wire; a set of membraneelectrode assembly (MEA) units comprising a plurality of proton exchangemembranes corresponding to the plurality of cathode electrode areas; anintermediate bonding layer comprising at least one bonding sheet,wherein the intermediate bonding layer comprises a plurality of openingseach for accommodating a proton exchange membrane, and a plurality ofsecond conductive through holes that are aligned with the firstconductive through holes; an integrated anode electrode plate comprisinga second substrate, a plurality of anode electrode areas correspondingto the plurality of cathode electrode areas, a plurality of thirdconductive through holes corresponding to the first conductive throughholes, and a plurality of conductive pads corresponding to the pluralityof first conductive through holes; and a fuel container; wherein theplurality of the cathode electrode areas of the integrated cathodeelectrode plate and the plurality of the anode electrode areas of theintegrated anode electrode plate are covered by a conductive protectionlayer, wherein the conductive protection layer is carbon ink.
 2. Theflat-panel direct methanol fuel cell of claim 1, wherein each cathodeelectrode area comprises a copper clad base layer, an electroless copperlayer on the copper clad base layer, and an electroplated copper layeron the chemically deposited copper layer.
 3. The flat-panel directmethanol fuel cell of claim 1, wherein each proton exchange membrane isa solid-state proton exchange membrane.
 4. The flat-panel directmethanol fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the bonding sheet is made ofPrepreg B-stage resin.
 5. The flat-panel direct methanol fuel cell ofclaim 4, wherein the Prepreg B-stage resin can be completely cured atabout 140 C for a time period of about 30minutes.
 6. The flat-paneldirect methanol fuel cell of claim 1, wherein the first substrate ismade of glass fiber reinforced polymeric material.
 7. The flat-paneldirect methanol fuel cell of claim 6, wherein the glass fiber reinforcedpolymeric materials comprises ANSI-grade FR-1, FR-2, FR-3, FR-4, FR-5,CEM-1, or CEM-3.
 8. The flat-panel direct methanol fuel cell of claim 1,wherein, in assembly, the MEA unit is installed into the openings of theintermediate bonding layer, which is then adhesively sandwiched by theintegrated cathode electrode plate and the integrated anode electrodeplate, wherein the first conductive through holes of the integratedcathode electrode plate are aligned and in contact with the secondconductive through holes of the intermediate bonding layer, which arealigned with the third conductive through holes of the integrated thinanode electrode plate.
 9. The flat-panel direct methanol fuel cell ofclaim 1, wherein electrodes of the plurality of anode electrode areas ofthe integrated anode electrode plate on a side that contacts a base ofthe fuel container are covered by a solder resist layer, whileelectrodes on an opposite side are covered by an electroplated layer ofgold and Ni—Au alloy.